1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a video telephony apparatus and method for mobile terminals, and in particular, to a video telephony apparatus and method for protecting a portrait right during a video call.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the development of electronic and communication industries, usage of mobile terminals is becoming popular and the mobile terminals are being more developed to have multi-functional features for satisfying user's demands while having reduced size, thickness and weight.
In addition to the basic call function, the mobile terminals provide a variety of additional functions of downloading music files to enjoy music, downloading Video On Demand (VOD) files to enjoy moving images, and photographing objects to store the object images in album.
Moreover, a variety of peripheral devices attached to the mobile terminals are also being developed. Examples of the peripheral devices are detachable or built-in digital cameras, TV receivers capable of receiving over-the-air broadcasting, and ear microphones attached to provide a convenient call function. In particular, camera phones came into the market in April 2002 and have attracted sensational popularity. Nowadays, 5 mega-pixel high-quality camera phones are on the market.
The camera phones are used to photograph still and moving images, and are expected to be used for video telephony. Hereinafter, terminals capable of providing a video telephony function are referred to as “video telephony terminals”.
An example of a video telephony system is the International Mobile Telecommunications-2000 (IMT-2000) wireless system. The IMT-2000 wireless system includes 2.5th generation (2.5G) and 3rd generation (3G) wireless systems such as Evolution Data Only/Evolution Data and Voice (EVDO/EVDV) systems and a Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) systems.
In the video telephony system, a calling terminal and a called terminal exchange moving image streams with each other through a packet-switched network or a circuit-switched network, which is controlled using the H.245 protocol. The H.245 protocol defines control messages for mediating performances and channels between video telephony terminals. These control messages are used to perform functions such as capability exchange, opening/closing of logical channels, mode request, flow control, and general command.
The H.245 protocol is also use to negotiate compatibility between video telephony terminals and to control Quality of Service (QoS). The QoS control includes frame/bit rate control, image size control, and fast update request.
In the video telephony system, when a calling terminal compresses and transmits a moving image of a calling user to a called terminal, the called terminal restores the compressed moving image to an original moving image and displays the original moving image on its display unit. Likewise, when the called terminal compresses and transmits a moving image of a called user to the calling terminal, the calling terminal restores the compressed moving image to an original moving image and displays it on its display unit.
A conventional video telephony system provides a general video telephony function for a calling user to call the other party while viewing an image of the other party directly. In addition to the general video telephony function, a variety of convenient functions are being developed to accommodate general users. An example of the convenient functions is a camcorder function for a user to record and play moving images in a non-call state. Another example is a function for transmitting recorded moving images to the other party through a Multimedia Message Service (MMS).
There is an increasing desire to store an image of the other party in real time during a video call. What is actually proposed is a function for a user to store a facial image of the other party in real time during a video call.
In case where a function for storing an image of the other party during a video call is provided, there is a possibility that a receiving party may store and reuse or distribute an image of a transmitting party without the transmitting party's permission. At the present time, there are no restrictions on the use of stored image (or multimedia) contents. Therefore, the receiving party can freely use the stored image contents without restriction. For example, the receiving party can move the stored image data into his computer or other devices and also can copy and edit the stored image data.
However, the portrait right and use right for the image contents of the transmitting party belong to the transmitting party that is a content provider. Therefore, the receiving party must obtain the permission of the transmitting party in order to use the image contents of the transmitting party.
A similar concept is Digital Right Management (DRM) whereby a user obtains a predetermined right to use multimedia contents by paying a mobile communication operator a fee for the user of the multimedia contents. Accordingly, it is difficult to apply the current DRM concept to a video call service. What is required, therefore, is a scheme for protecting image contents during a video call.